Hi, I am really good! I had such a good time at Regionals. My body is feeling really fresh and I am really motivated to getting back training. My main focus for the next couple of months is building strength so I have started on a squat cycle.

You finished 20th overall, a great result and an improvement compared to last year´s Regional. What made the difference for you this year?

Firstly, I have spent an awful lot of time working on improving my movement patterns. I have been working with James Jowsey to improve my overhead mobility and hip stability and that has made a massive difference for me. It is time consuming but I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Secondly, I have changed my eating habits. I am consuming a lot more smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to just three larger ones. I am also lucky enough to be sponsored by Kinetica and since I have started taking in more protein and recovery shakes, my ability to recover quicker after hard training sessions has gone through the roof.

Lastly, I am very lucky to be coached by Brendan Walsh and I follow his GTS programming on a daily basis. He knows me inside out and my progress since day one is entirely down to him.

For those who don´t know you yet, please tell us something about your background. How did you first get in touch with Crossfit and how long have you been training and competing now?

My sporting background would have been in gymnastics as a child up until the age of 12 and then I got involved in competitive show jumping were I competed for Ireland.

I started Crossfit about 3 months before the 2012 Open. My fiance had been doing Crossfit for a long time in Ireland and he had been trying to explain to me what it was about but I never really fully understood it, but we moved to New Zealand in 2011 and it was here that I decided to go along with him and give it a go and I have never looked back since. I did my first competition the following June and I have been competing ever since. Competition is what really motivates and drives me to train hard. I love the buzz and adrenaline rush you get from it.

How would a normal week for you look like? How much time and effort do you put into your weekly training and what do you do if you want to take your mind off training and Crossfit?

A normal week would generally consist of two training sessions a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays with the morning session focusing on strength movements and Olympic lifts, and the afternoon session will consist of some skill work and a MetCon. Tuesdays and Thursdays are focused on skills and conditioning with just one session on a Thursday and Saturday is always a big training day for me which starts with Olympic lifts and then a lot of conditioning.

Photo by Pete Williamson

When we aren’t training we generally like to hang out with our friends and then talk about Crossfit.

What would be your advice for a young and ambitious athlete trying to make it to the Regionals?

It is very easy to get too caught up and focused on competition and people forget then why they started in the first place. If you are serious on getting to Regionals then you have to map out your year and set small measurable goals that will then lead you to your big goal.

The most important piece of advise I would say is that you have to enjoy what your doing otherwise you will forget why you started in the first place.

Last but not least, what are your goals for the upcoming 12 months, and in which competitions can we see you for the remainder of 2015?

My goals for the near future are to build my strength and really tidy up my skills. My main goal is to make it back to Regional next year and also put in a good performance at the Athlete Games in January.

Thanks a lot for your time Hilary, good speaking to you – take care and best of luck for the next couple of months!

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